This award by the NIH is a career development award for the principle investigator Dr. M. J. Novak. Under the direction of Drs. Cohen and Bowen, Dr. Novak is developing as an independent biomedical researcher in the field of polymorphonuclear leukocyte physiology and biochemistry as well as attaining a Ph.D. degree in Microbiology. This training and experience is being utilized to explore effects of microorganisms on the response of the hosts inflammatory cells to infection and how these interactions can destroy the host tissues during inflammation. This destruction is frequently observed in inflammatory diseases such as periodontal diseases which effects a large proportion of the population. An understanding of these interactions may help in developing therapeutic modalities that reduce tissue destruction without decreasing the efficiency of the host in combatting infection and disease.